Richard C. Klein was born in Cleveland in 1932 to long time Warrensville Road Synagogue members Rose and Rudolph Klein, the younger of two boys. The family initially lived in the Kinsman area. Rudolph, a captain in the Austrian army, was an engineer who was persuaded by his cousin Milton Koblitz to emigrate from Vienna to the United States in 1922. Rose was a homemaker. Rudolph was able to bring his brothers and mother out of Vienna in 1939, following Kristallnacht. His mother brought a rescued Torah scroll with her to the United States, which was donated to the Kinsman Jewish Center.
The family moved to Shaker Heights in 1937. Dick was Bar Mitzvahed at the Kinsman Jewish Center in 1945. The family later followed Rabbi David Genuth to Temple Beth El. Dick graduated from Shaker Heights High School in 1950, where he was twice a state place winner in wrestling. He attended Case Western Reserve University and completed his undergraduate education at Bowling Green State University in 1954, graduating with a B.S. degree in accounting.
In 1954, Dick attended a dance at Park Synagogue where he met the beautiful Helen Margie Buchler, known to friends and family as Margie. Interestingly, both Dick and his brother Dr. Milton Klein, with whom he attended the event, married the women they met at that dance. Dick and Margie were married in 1956. Unfortunately, Margie fell ill in 1973, becoming bedridden at age 40. Dick remained a loyal and devoted husband and caretaker for Margie until her untimely death in 1990.
Dick began his career as an auditor for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in New York City before joining the Field Audit Branch of the Internal Revenue Service in 1957. While working as an IRS agent, Dick attended law school at Cleveland Marshall Law School, where he participated in Moot Court and was named to the Law Review. Following graduation from law school in 1963, Dick was hired by the renowned Judge Frank J. Merrick as a General Referee and Chief Referee of the Accounts and Inventory Department of the Cuyahoga County Probate Court.
During that time, the Klein’s built their family, with daughter Debra born in 1957 and son Roger born in 1961.
Dick continued at the Probate Court until July 1973, when he entered private law practice specializing in Trusts and Estates and Taxation, mostly working in association with Klein & Klein Co. L.P.A., where he shared offices for many years with the law firm of Metzenbaum, Gaines & Stern. Dick was admitted to practice law before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, the U.S. Tax Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court.
Dick served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Nastec Inc., an engineering research and development company he formed with a client that primarily serviced the aerospace and defense industries. Dick was a member of multiple committees of the Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and Ohio State Bar Associations, and served as Chair of the Probate and the Administrative Law Committees of both the Cleveland and Cuyahoga County Bars. He was a guest lecturer at Cleveland State Law School and an instructor at Cuyahoga Community College.
Dick served for many years on the Board of the Cleveland Branch of the Jewish National Fund and as Secretary for the organization and was a member of Executive Committee of the Cuyahoga County Republican Party. He was a member of the University Hospitals Urology Institute Leadership Council and served many years as a trustee of Oheb Zedek-Cedar Sinai Synagogue.
The family belonged to Park Synagogue, but Dick joined Warrensville Center Synagogue (Oheb Zedek) at the time of his father’s death in 1981 because of his enormous respect for Rabbi Jacob Muskin, and Rabbi Muskin’s close relationship with his parents. He supported the synagogue for many years, serving as a board member and as a donor of legal services. Dick spent much of his later years enjoying his family, daughter Debra of Chesterland, and son Dr. Roger and daughter-in-law Marlene of Beachwood, and doting on his wonderful granddaughter Arielle.
Beloved husband of Margie Klein (deceased); devoted father of Debra Klein and Roger (Marlene) Klein; loving grandfather of Arielle Margie Klein; dear brother of Milton Klein (deceased); cherished uncle of Heidi (Paolo) Sant'Ambrogio.
Chapel funeral services for Richard will be held at Berkowitz-Kumin-Bookatz Memorial Chapel, 1985 S Taylor Rd, Cleveland Heights, Ohio 44118 on Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at 2:00 PM.
To view this service please navigate to https://youtu.be/qRgrBGeT2b0
Interment at Zion Memorial Park, 5461 Northfield Rd, Bedford Heights, Ohio 44146.
The family will receive friends at the Klein residence, 27500 Cedar Rd, Beachwood, OH 44122 on Tuesday from 4:30 to 8 PM, Wednesday and Thursday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 PM, and Friday from 10 AM to 1 PM.
Donations are suggested to University Hospitals of Cleveland for Harrington Heart and Vascular Institute, Heart & Vascular Services in honor of Dr. Barry Effron or to University Hospitals of Cleveland Seidman Cancer Center in honor of Dr. Stanton Gerson.
Contributions in Richard's memory are suggested to the Jewish National Fund or the Kol Israel Foundation.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.bkbmc.com for the Klein family.
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